January 08, 2010 - A standardised battery service from Hoppecke Industrial Batteries has helped a leading foodservice company reduce its costs and increase operational flexibility.
With over 30 distribution depots, 3663 operates across the UK supplying fresh, frozen and chilled food to restaurants, pubs, cafés and clubs as well as schools, hospitals and Government departments. It needed materials handling equipment with a battery system that was easy to access and maintain and Hoppecke's "Power for Life" system was the ideal option.
“Flexible access to the use of materials handling equipment is essential to our operation,” says Graham Rennie, 3663’s Director of Fleet. “While the majority of our order picking takes place through the night, we need trucks to operate during parts of the day. Where possible, we prefer not to involve our operators in having to change batteries. However the practice of connecting batteries to recharge more than once per day, used to cause us increased focus. Early battery failures, unbudgeted repairs, increased maintenance and battery filling all contributed to added cost with the previous batteries. Also, electricity costs did not help us in reducing our operational costs or carbon footprint.”
In early 2005, 3663 decided to standardise on the use of the Hoppecke “Power for Life” battery solution.
The system incorporates Hoppecke trak® air batteries which are charged using trak® air intelligent high frequency chargers. This system allows us to opportunity charge batteries during the normal weekly operation which provides the required flexibility to support our picking requirements. The full charge received by the battery on a weekend ensures no damage, reduced life or negative warranty effects are experienced.
“Over the past four to five years, the concerns we had about early battery failure, increased maintenance and health and safety issues have disappeared leaving us to concentrate on our core business,” continued Graham.
Gus Whyte, Hoppecke’s UK sales director, said: “A Trak® air battery system not only reduces battery filling down to four to six times per year, it offers reduced battery gassing and delivers over 30 per cent savings on electricity costs. The resulting benefits have helped 3663 reduce its carbon footprint.”
As part of the Hoppecke “Power for Life” contract, all battery filling and maintenance is carried out by a dedicated Hoppecke engineer. The “Power for Life” battery solution coupled with Hoppecke's complete service package has proved to be the ideal option.
- Ends -
Hoppecke Industrial Batteries Ltd
HOPPECKE was founded in 1927 and is now the leading specialist for industrial battery systems, and at the same time the largest battery manufacturer in European ownership. Hoppecke offers to its customers throughout the world, concepts for efficient and reliable power supply for every industrial application. A leading exponent of environmental care for more than 80 years, Hoppecke offers solutions for a variety of industries including motive power, reserve power for IT/telecoms, power stations, solar energy and UPS, special power for rail and underground. It is a European leader in recycling of industrial batteries, and operates its own recycling foundry for lead-acid batteries, thereby making a substantial contribution to careful husbanding of resources. Hoppecke invests heavily in innovation and has one of the largest R&D departments in the industry with an estimated 5 per cent of turnover being ploughed into R&D to bring new battery technologies to market. Its UK operation is based in Newcastle-Under-Lyme in the Midlands.
Company Contact:
Bernard Molloy
Hoppecke Industrial Batteries Ltd
Unit 2 Lowfield Drive
Centre 500
Wolstanton
Newcastle-under-Lyme
ST5 0UU
T: 01782 667305
W: www.hoppecke.co.uk
E:
Sue Tupling
Changeworks Communications Ltd
T. 07703 023026
E.
Tags: Hoppecke, batteries, 3663, materials handling,
Add this release to ...
click for more ...
Click to distribute RSS news feed ...
